The 1997 birth year is a good one for hockey players hailing from New England. Three players — Noah Hanifin, Colin White and John Marino — have established themselves as regulars in the NHL. Hanifin and White, both first-round picks in 2015, make nearly million between the two of them. While Marino ultimately forced...
The 1997 birth year is a good one for hockey players hailing from New England.
Three players — Noah Hanifin, Colin White and John Marino — have established themselves as regulars in the NHL. Hanifin and White, both first-round picks in 2015, make nearly $10 million between the two of them. While Marino ultimately forced a trade from Edmonton to Pittsburgh, a sixth-round pick seems like very good value.
In total, 11 New Englanders from the ’97 birth year were selected in the NHL draft. Nine were selected in their first year of eligibility while one went in his second and another had to wait for his third year.
It’s interesting to look at where the draft picks came from. Six drafted ’97s spent significant time playing Massachusetts high school hockey. While only Northeastern alum Ryan Shea was picked right out of the MIAA, five others spent two or three seasons in the circuit.
Hanifin, White and Fitzgerald are USA Hockey NTDP alums. Marino played for the South Shore Kings in the USPHL. Four, including Hanifin and White, spent time in prep hockey. UNH goaltender Mike Robinson and BC defenseman Ben Finkelstein both were drafted directly out of prep.
One significant player in this birth year, Cam Askew, opted for major junior. The Boston, Mass., native had a good run in the QMJHL and is now in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays.
Injuries have derailed careers or hampered development for a couple of draft picks, including former Tabor and Providence star Erik Foley, who has not played a game since the 2017-18 season. A third-round pick in 2015, he was projected to have a decent career in the AHL, at the very least. Red Wings pick Jack Adams, a former star at Malden Catholic, missed this season with a lower-body injury.
There also are plenty of cautionary tales of players who were well-regarded during younger years but never panned out. At least three New England ’97s who were listed by NHL Central Scouting are playing Division 3. There is a former national camp participant who never played college hockey. There are four players who were committed to Division 1 schools who were gassed before enrolling and now are playing Division 3. Another three were healthy scratches at the Division 1 level before transferring to Division 3.
In conclusion, the ’97 birth year can offer younger players and families a stark reminder. Despite being classified as a good birth year, just three players are likely to make a significant living playing hockey in the NHL.
New England's top 1997 birth-year players
